Vacuum cleaner



May-l4, 1940. D, M DOW 2,200,738

VACUUM CLEANER Filegset. 30, 193e um umm INVENTO` Patented May 14, 1940UNITED STATES PATENT FFQE Application September 30, 1936, Serial No.103,22*?

1 Claim.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners of the type shown in mypending application, Serial Number 66,882; and in my copending Patents2,114,630 and 2,149,588. The present application constitutes acontinuation in partl of those applications and the disclosures thereofare incorporated in and made a part hereof by reference.

'I'he general purpose 4of the present invention is to provide a vacuumcleaner having a vertically svvlngable handle with novel and inexpensive means for delimiting a series of handle positions, or forrestraining the handle from movement in one direction in a givenposition,

The invention utilizes one side wall of the fan casing to form a seriesIof detents into which a retractible bolt or similar device, carried bythe arm of the suction chamber to `which the fan casing is pivoted, ismovable in a direction The parallel to the axis oi' pivotal movement.handle is rigidly secured to the fan casing, and thus the `fan casingand associated retractible element serve as the handle positioningmechanism, obviating the necessity for more expensive handle positioningmechanism.

Further objects will appear in the perusal oi the following detaileddescription of the invention in connection with the accompanying draw--`ing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationof a suction cleaner 50 embodying theinvention,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View of the retractible element, and

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of the fan casing and associatedparts.

A suction cleaner constructed in accordancev With the inventioncomprises generally tWo parts,

a roller supported body unit A, and a handle,

fan casing and bag assembly B, pivotally attached to the body unit A.

The body unit A comprises a suction chamber beginning with an agitatorchamber I0 having a suction inlet mouth, and terminating in rearwardlyand upwardly extending arms Il', i2, be-` tween which is pivoted the fancasing B, its inlets I4 in swivelling communication with the elbowportions i2 of the aforesaid arms.

The body unit is supported upon iioor rollers IB, Il and a cover I8partially covers the arms II, I2.

The unit B includes the fan casing I3, the handie I9, secured rigidly tothe outlet 2u of the fan casing, and a bag a suspended below the handleand having an inlet neck communicating `with the outlet 20.

The positioning mechanism includes a series of detente 2 I, 22, 23formed in a side wall of the fan casing, either integrally, or by meansof an arcuate keeper 2 4, secured to said side wall; Detent 23 is around hole.

The detents 2i and 22 are adapted to restrain movement only in onedirection, one end of each detent being deep and the other end beinginclined into mergence With the outer face of the keeper. Thisconstruction is formed by striking tongues il out oi' the keeper andbending them so that theiitips lie just out of the plane of the keeper.To accommodate these tip regions, I pro-` vide an under plate 25 ofarcuate form, corresponding in shape to the keeper, and having openeings 2G receiving the tongues 2?. Both keeper and underplate secured bycommon securing elements 28.

A bolt it is longitudinally slidably and rotatably mounted in the spacedears 3E of a bracket which is Lfshaped in cross-section, includingvertical and horizontal legs 3i and 32 respectively, secured to underand rear faces, respectively, of 'the arms il, I2.

A coil spring 33 urges the bolt into engagement with the keeper tft. Ahelical cam it is formed on or secured to the bolt 29, and engages theinclined edge 35 of a iiat cam 36 formed by bending a .flap ci thematerial of the bracket 32, to- `Ward the axis of the bolt 29. A pedal3'! is se cured to the cam tt; and thus to the bolt 29, and is adaptedto be engaged by the operators foot. Depression of the lever causes thecam 3d to rotate againstthe cam .it thus forcing the bolt to recedeaxially. When the foot 'pedal is released the pressure of the spring .itWill cause the cam fifi to ride against the cam 35 back to a neutralposition, bringing the pedal with it.

I claim as my invention:

In a vacuum cleaner having a suction chamber With a pair of rearwardlyextending suction outlets, and having a ian casing arranged between saidsuction inlets and communicating with said fan casing, said fan casingbeing pivotally connected to said suction inlets, a handle secured insaid fan casing and adapted to pivot said fan casing, means formaintaining said fan casing in any one of a series of selected adjustedpositions comprising a plate in the iorm of a segment of a circle and.having series of detent openings in the plate, said plate beingexteriorly anixed to one side Wall of said fan casing, a bracketattached to one of said suction outlets, a retractible means mounted insaid bracket, said retractible means being capable of engagement withany one of said ide tent openings for holding said fan casing in aselected position relative to the suction chamber, and foot pedaloperated means to actuate said retractible means. y

DEWEY M, DOW.

